Good-Bye
by Light Brown Shoes
Summary: What she liked best was when he held her; when he wrapped her in his embrace, his arms circling her body and protecting her from all that she couldn't deal with. As her blood pooled around her, all she wanted was for him to hold her.


She didn't want more time… she deserved this, she supposed. Unlike when she had jumped to save Maka, this wasn't heroic. This was stupid. A stupid mistake: a misstep into the path of the enemy's arrows. Ragnarok hadn't even had time to harden her blood; the wound was big enough that he oozed out of her before he could do anything.

The arrows were gone; they had traveled all the way through her body, leaving a gaping hole in their wake. She fell to the ground, a tidal wave of pain pulling her under as she slammed into the stone. She heard Kid shout her name, but it was distance. Foggy. She heard him screaming, but he was already far away, and slipping farther each second. Tears came to her eyes; deep within the pain was a longing that floated, one she had to think about before she could grasp it and put words to it:

What she liked best was when he held her; when he wrapped her in his embrace, his arms circling her body and protecting her from all that she couldn't deal with.

As her blood pooled around her, all she wanted was for him to hold her.

It took effort, but she managed to open one of her eyes. She saw a sideways Kid running towards her, his guns dropped to the ground, the Kishin gone. Nothing more than a soul, scarred and dirty, floating in the air.

"Crona!" he yelled. "Crona!" He voice was getting even father.

Her eye slid shut against her will. The last thing she saw was Kid lunging towards her, yellow eyes wide.

And then she felt him grasp her shoulders and lift her, pulling her towards him.

It sent a shockwave of pain through her body, and she curled into herself, a scream ripping from her throat, fireworks flashing behind her eyelids.

She also, distantly, felt Kid begin to lower her. He was muttering something… "Softly," or "Salty," or "Sorry,"…

No, no, no. She didn't want this.

She reached out and blindly grasped at his jacket, clutching at the fabric, trying to say his name but only managing to mumble the first letter before a wave of dizziness hit her. She clenched her eyes shut and tried to fight it off, her mind whirling and the earth tipping around her.

It was once the dizziness passed that she noticed the pain was gone, replaced by a numbness that scared her. She opened her eyes, blinking slowly before managing to make out his face. There were no tears, but his face was twisted in fear.

His mouth was moving, and she had to struggle to make out what he was saying.

"Crona. Crona. Listen. You're going to be fine," he said, his grip on her tightening. She thought for a moment, processing his words, fighting the weariness that was now lingering at the corner of her mind, before she shook her head.

"But… that's… 'kay," she mumbled, fighting to keep him in focus. "…'cause you're… h-hugging me. I like… your hugs…."

He let out a sob, leaning over her, his head bent over hers.

"You'll get plenty more!" he hissed, but she could see in his eyes that he didn't believe so. "Patti and Liz… they're gonna go get Stein. You will get more!" He squeezed his eyes shut and began to sway back and forth, and she ignored the small flashes of pain whenever he changed direction.

"Will… will you be able… to visit me?" she asked suddenly.

His eyes snapped open, and, for the first time, she saw tears. His mouth opened and closed, no sound coming out.

"Will you?" She was getting desperate. Because, if he could, than this wouldn't _really _be the end. They could talk more. Hug more. And she wouldn't have to tell him everything now.

"It- it doesn't matter. Because you'll live. You'll-"

"Kid." She could barley whisper.

A tear fell from his face, and he looked away.

"No."

Her throat closed up. So this really was the end.

She let her head fall against his chest and closed her eyes. She could feel him trying to pull her closer, but they were already as close as possible.

"Kid… I… I think… you and I- I think… I loved… you…" she said, each word a struggle. "Because… I was happy… and when you… kissed me… and the happy… was always there…." She took a deep shuddering breath, realizing she wasn't making much sense, but unable to put her thoughts together. Everything was just so _foggy. _"That's love… right? And… sorry I'm not… symmetrical… but…" Her mind was slipping, and she could feel it leaving. "I did… love you…"

She was gone before he could respond.

But if she wasn't, she would have heard him tell her that he loved her, too. That it didn't matter that she wasn't symmetrical, he still thought she was beautiful.

And then she would have heard his sobs, echoing across the building ruins.


End file.
